Maryland Criminal Records Search: Cases & Public Records

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Maryland official-records guide
Search Maryland Criminal Records Without Starting in the Wrong Database

Maryland criminal-record research usually involves more than one government system. Court cases are searched through the Maryland Judiciary, fingerprint-supported criminal-history records are maintained by the Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) Central Repository, incarceration information is handled by the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, and arrest or incident records may remain with the police or sheriff agency that created them. This guide shows which official source to use and what a missing online result can really mean.

Coverage: Maryland statewide Information checked: September 25, 2026 Primary sources: Maryland Judiciary, DPSCS, CJIS and Maryland government
Fast answer: Use the Maryland Judiciary Case Search & Record Portal for public court-case information. Use CJIS when you need an authorized fingerprint-supported Maryland criminal-history check. For a recent arrest, police report or county detention record, start with the agency or detention facility that actually created the record.
Find a court case Criminal charges, docket events, disposition and court information.
Use Case Search →
Get your criminal history Fingerprint-supported Maryland record review through CJIS.
Use CJIS →
Recent arrest or police record Contact the police, sheriff or other agency that created the record.
Agency records →
Find an incarcerated person Search people currently covered by Maryland DPSCS locator rules.
Use DPSCS →
Get an official court copy Locate the correct clerk’s office for regular or certified records.
Copy guide →

Maryland Criminal Records Are Split Across Different Agencies

A search can fail simply because you are looking in the wrong system. Maryland’s court portal, CJIS repository, local law-enforcement records and correctional databases perform different jobs.

Maryland Judiciary

Court cases

Public District Court, Circuit Court and qualifying appellate case information. Case Search is a summary of court records, not the complete official case file.

CJIS Central Repository

Criminal-history records

Maryland’s fingerprint-supported criminal identification and criminal-history system. CJIS information is not a public people-search database.

Police / Sheriff

Arrest and incident records

Arrest reports, incident records and investigative material may remain with the originating law-enforcement agency and are subject to Maryland public-record rules and exemptions.

Local detention

County jail records

A county detention center or sheriff may maintain current local custody information. Maryland does not provide one universal statewide county-jail roster.

DPSCS

State incarceration

Maryland’s Incarcerated Individual Locator covers qualifying people currently housed under specified DPSCS custody arrangements.

Federal Judiciary

Federal criminal cases

Federal prosecutions are separate from Maryland state cases and generally require PACER or direct federal-court access.

Do not equate an arrest with a conviction. An arrest may never result in filed charges, and a filed charge may end in dismissal, acquittal, nolle prosequi, probation before judgment or another disposition.

Why a Maryland Criminal Case May Be Missing From Case Search

A missing online result does not always mean no criminal case ever existed. Maryland intentionally removes or suppresses certain criminal information from public Case Search.

Dismissed, acquitted or not guilty

Criminal or traffic charges with dispositions such as dismissal, nolle prosequi, acquittal or not guilty can be automatically suppressed from Case Search.

Older stet dispositions

Maryland’s current notices explain that charges recorded as stet are removed from Case Search after three years under the Expungement Reform Act of 2025.

Qualifying cannabis cases

Certain cannabis-possession cases are prohibited from appearing in Case Search, including qualifying cases disposed of before July 1, 2023.

Expunged, shielded or sealed

Records removed from public access by expungement, statutory shielding or court order are not returned like ordinary public cases.

Maryland-specific search lesson: Some records no longer displayed online may still be publicly viewable at the courthouse. The Judiciary specifically directs users to courthouse access for certain criminal cases involving nolle prosequi, dismissal, acquittal/not guilty and some other suppressed information.

Maryland Case Search Name Tricks That Save Time

Maryland Case Search defaults to an exact-name search. If you enter a slightly different spelling, the system may return nothing even when a case exists.

Exact search

Start with full legal spelling

Search the last name and first name as accurately as possible before broadening the query.

Partial search

Use the % wildcard

Maryland allows a percent sign after at least the first character of a last name to perform a partial-name search.

Identity check

Do not rely on name alone

Compare available date, court, city, case number and charge information before concluding that a record belongs to a specific person.

Wildcard example: If you are unsure whether a surname is spelled Johnson, Johnston or another variation, use Maryland’s permitted partial-search format rather than repeatedly guessing complete spellings. The % symbol cannot be placed at the beginning or middle of the word.

How to Read a Maryland Criminal Case Result

Item What it tells you What to verify
Case number The court’s identifier for the case. Use it when requesting documents from the clerk.
Court Whether the case is in District Court, Circuit Court or an appellate court. Different courts maintain different files and procedures.
Charge The offense alleged or prosecuted. A charge alone does not show guilt.
Disposition How the court resolved that charge. Check each individual charge.
PBJ Probation before judgment. PBJ should not be casually described as an ordinary conviction.
Nolle prosequi The prosecutor elected not to continue prosecution of that charge. Do not report it as a conviction.
Stet The prosecution was placed on an inactive docket subject to Maryland rules. Older stet information may no longer appear publicly online.
Sentence Any court-imposed consequence after the relevant finding or plea. Review incarceration, probation, fines and other terms separately.

Maryland District Court vs. Circuit Court Criminal Records

Maryland has both District Courts and Circuit Courts. Knowing which one handled the case can save considerable time when you need a document rather than a basic online summary.

District Court

District Court handles many misdemeanor, traffic and other criminal matters. District Court proceedings are courts of record, and recordings may be requested under applicable Judiciary procedures.

Circuit Court

Circuit Courts handle felony matters and certain other criminal cases, including some cases arriving from District Court through appeal or jury-trial procedures.

Use the official Maryland Courts Directory to locate the appropriate clerk’s office.

Maryland CJIS Criminal-History Records Are Different From Court Case Search

Maryland’s Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) Central Repository, part of the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, maintains the state’s fingerprint-supported criminal identification and criminal-history information, sometimes described as the Maryland “RAP” sheet.

This is a crucial distinction: CJIS is not a public name-based people-search database. Maryland’s CJIS FAQ states that criminal-history information held by the Central Repository is secured and is not available to the public without proper authorization.

You generally cannot order a CJIS background check on an unrelated person just because you want to know their history. Maryland says checks on another person require proper authorization under applicable law and regulation.
Maryland CJIS Background Check Information

How to Request Your Own Maryland Criminal-History Record

Maryland permits an individual to request an Individual Review Background Check through CJIS. This is the proper route when your goal is to review your own Maryland fingerprint-supported criminal history rather than search court cases.

Use the Individual Review process

CJIS identifies Individual Review as an available background-check request for the person who is the subject of the record.

Arrange fingerprinting

Maryland uses fingerprint-supported record checking. In-state applicants can use authorized fingerprinting providers or government-operated services.

Bring government-issued identification

CJIS fingerprint services require valid government-issued photo identification.

Pay the correct current fee

Maryland currently lists the state-only background check at $18 by mail and $38 when processed in person where the $20 CJIS fingerprint service charge applies.

Review the returned record carefully

If an entry appears to belong to someone else or looks inaccurate, contact CJIS rather than assuming the court portal can correct the criminal-history repository.

Request type Current Maryland fee Important detail
State background check only $18 mail-in Fingerprint card / approved process requirements apply.
State background check only $38 in person Includes Maryland’s current $20 CJIS fingerprint service fee.
State background with Gold Seal $19 mail-in / $39 in person Use only when the certified/Gold Seal version is actually required.
Attorney/client civil $18 mail-in / $38 in person Specific authorized use.
Attorney/client pending criminal case No CJIS record-check fee Authorization requirements still apply.

Fees can change. Federal fingerprint-check fees are separate and Maryland has announced a federal component increase effective October 1, 2026 for transactions that include a national/FBI background check. Verify the live fee schedule before paying.

Maryland Fingerprinting for Criminal-History Checks

Maryland maintains authorized private fingerprint providers as well as government-operated services. Private providers can collect fingerprints and demographic information and transmit them to CJIS, but the provider itself does not receive the resulting criminal-history record.

  • Bring valid government-issued photo identification.
  • Use an approved LiveScan location when required.
  • Bring the employer or licensing authorization number when applicable.
  • Confirm whether a state-only or state-and-FBI check is required.
  • Ask a private provider about its separate service fee before arriving.
  • Do not assume fingerprints from an earlier application can simply be reused.

Official fingerprinting information: Maryland DPSCS Fingerprint Services.

How to Find Maryland Arrest and Police Records

A recent arrest may not be best researched through CJIS or Case Search. Arrest reports, incident records, body-camera material and investigative records can originate with the police department, sheriff or other law-enforcement agency that handled the event.

1 Identify the agency City police, county sheriff, Maryland State Police or another agency.
2 Identify the record Arrest report, incident report, CAD/dispatch record, booking information or another document.
3 Find its PIA custodian Maryland has no single office that processes every agency’s public-record request.
4 Submit a focused request Give dates, location, report number and names when known.
Practical tip: If you know the arresting agency and report number, use those details in the request. A targeted request is usually easier for an agency to locate than asking for “everything” about a person.

Maryland Public Information Act Requests for Government Records

Maryland’s Public Information Act (PIA) provides broad access to government records while also protecting privacy and government interests. The Attorney General explains that there is no single central office handling every PIA request.

Instead, find the records custodian or PIA representative for the state, county or municipal agency that actually maintains the record.

Identify the agency holding the record

For example, request a police incident report from the police agency that created it, not from Maryland Judiciary merely because a criminal case later resulted.

Find the agency’s PIA representative

Maryland’s Attorney General provides statewide resources for locating PIA representatives.

Describe the record specifically

Include the date range, incident/report number, agency unit and other known identifiers.

Understand possible exemptions

Investigatory records and other protected information can be withheld in whole or in part under applicable Maryland law.

Maryland Public Information Act
Court-record requests are different. Judicial records are primarily governed by Maryland’s court-access rules and are usually maintained by the clerk’s office where the case was filed or heard. Do not assume an ordinary agency PIA request is the correct procedure for obtaining a criminal court file.

Maryland County Jail and Local Detention Records

Maryland does not provide one public statewide roster that covers every person in every county jail. Local detention information may be maintained by a county detention center, corrections department, sheriff’s office or another local agency.

If you are looking for someone arrested recently:

  • identify the county or Baltimore City
  • find the official detention or sheriff website
  • check its inmate/booking search if one is provided
  • call the detention facility if online data are unavailable
  • then check Maryland Case Search for related court proceedings
  • do not confuse local jail custody with state-prison custody

Maryland State Incarcerated Individual Locator

The Maryland DPSCS Incarcerated Individual Locator allows the public to search qualifying people currently under specified Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services custody arrangements.

The locator can include people committed to the custody of the Commissioner of Correction and housed in Division of Correction facilities, Patuxent Institution and some people housed in Division of Pretrial and Detention Services facilities.

No locator result does not prove the person is not in custody somewhere in Maryland. DPSCS specifically warns that the locator does not include everyone in department custody, and local county detention populations may be maintained separately.

DPSCS also states that individuals who are no longer in custody because of release or another reason are not displayed through the active locator.

Maryland Arrest Warrant Searches

There is no single public Maryland portal that should be treated as a guaranteed statewide active-warrant database for every law-enforcement agency.

A court case may contain docket information connected with a warrant, but Case Search should not be relied on as definitive proof that a warrant is currently active or inactive.

Known court case

Review Case Search

Use the known case number and review docket entries, then contact the clerk if clarification about the public court record is required.

Known county

Check local sheriff guidance

Some Maryland sheriffs publish warrant information or instructions, while others require direct contact.

Your own legal matter

Use official contact channels

If you believe a warrant concerns you personally, contact the responsible court, law-enforcement agency or qualified attorney rather than relying on a third-party people-search site.

Maryland Criminal Appeals and Appellate Court Records

Criminal cases can continue beyond the District or Circuit Court. Maryland’s two appellate courts are:

  • Supreme Court of Maryland
  • Appellate Court of Maryland

The former Court of Appeals was renamed the Supreme Court of Maryland, and the former Court of Special Appeals was renamed the Appellate Court of Maryland effective December 14, 2022.

Maryland Case Search contains qualifying appellate case information. The Judiciary also publishes reported and unreported appellate opinions through its official opinions system.

Search Maryland Appellate Opinions
Need the actual appellate case documents? Public non-parties may review qualifying records at public courthouse kiosks and can request copies from the Appellate Court clerk’s office. Some documents remain sealed or otherwise restricted.

How to Get Copies of Maryland Criminal Court Records

Case Search gives a public summary, but it is not the authoritative complete case file. If you need a complaint, order, docket document, judgment, transcript-related material or a certified copy, contact the clerk for the court that maintains the case.

1 Find the case number Use Maryland Case Search first when the case remains publicly searchable.
2 Identify the court District Court, Circuit Court or appellate court.
3 Contact the clerk Ask whether the specific document is public and available.
4 Request the right copy Regular or certified, depending on why you need it.

Copy charges can depend on the court and document. For example, circuit-court criminal departments can charge per-page copying fees plus certification charges. Maryland publishes separate District, Circuit and Appellate Court fee schedules, so verify the specific court’s current fee before sending payment.

Maryland Court Fee Schedules

When You Should Visit a Maryland Courthouse Instead of Relying on Case Search

A courthouse visit becomes especially useful when the online portal does not show enough information. Maryland states that public court files are maintained at the courthouse where the case was heard.

  • you need the complete public case file
  • the case is suppressed from online Case Search but remains publicly viewable
  • you need a certified copy
  • you need a document rather than a docket summary
  • you are researching an older case
  • the record is available only through a public courthouse terminal

Maryland also notes that access through a courthouse terminal or kiosk is considered on-site access, not remote access. This can matter because some records unavailable to the general public remotely may still be accessible from the courthouse.

Find a Maryland Court

Maryland Expungement: When a Criminal Record Can Be Removed

Maryland expungement removes eligible information about a criminal case from court and law-enforcement records. Eligibility depends heavily on the disposition, offense, waiting period and other circumstances.

Maryland’s Judiciary currently distinguishes several common situations:

Favorable disposition

Dismissal, acquittal, PBJ and related outcomes

Eligible cases can include acquittal, dismissal, probation before judgment, nolle prosequi, stet and not criminally responsible outcomes, subject to Maryland law.

Eligible conviction

Some guilty dispositions

Maryland allows expungement of specified convictions when statutory eligibility and waiting requirements are satisfied.

Automatic process

Some favorable outcomes

Maryland automatically expunges certain qualifying cases after the statutory period, including specified post-October 1, 2021 favorable dispositions.

Type Current filing rule Form / note
Acquittal, dismissal, PBJ, nolle prosequi, stet, not criminally responsible No filing fee for the standard qualifying petition described by the Judiciary. CC-DC-CR-072A
Eligible guilty disposition $30 filing fee per case, subject to waiver rules. CC-DC-CR-072B
Qualifying automatic-expungement case where earlier expungement is requested No filing fee. CC-DC-CR-072C
Keep your records before expungement. Maryland Judiciary specifically warns that you may not be able to obtain copies after the record has been expunged. This is especially important if you may later need proof of the disposition for immigration or another legal purpose.
Maryland Expungement Guidance

Shielding Is Not the Same as Expungement in Maryland

Maryland’s Second Chance Act created a separate process called shielding. A shielded eligible conviction is removed from ordinary public view and from Case Search, but the underlying record still exists and can remain available to law enforcement and other authorized agencies or persons.

Maryland’s current shielding guidance says a person generally must wait three years after completing the sentence, including parole, probation or mandatory supervision, and only listed eligible convictions qualify.

Expungement

Removes eligible criminal-record information from court and law-enforcement records under Maryland’s expungement statutes and procedures.

Shielding

Removes qualifying records from ordinary public access but does not eliminate the record from all government or authorized-access systems.

Maryland currently charges no filing fee for a petition to shield records under the Second Chance Act.

Maryland Shielding Guidance

What to Do if a Maryland Criminal Record Is Wrong or Belongs to Someone Else

There are two different problems, and the correction path depends on where the error appears.

Court-record issue

Wrong information in Case Search

The Judiciary directs users who believe online information is inaccurate to contact the court where the original record was created or filed.

CJIS identity issue

Someone else’s history appears under your identity

CJIS tells people dealing with identity confusion or someone using their name to contact CJIS Customer Service so the situation can be reviewed.

Before contacting the agency: save the case number, arresting agency, date, charge, disposition, CJIS reference number and any supporting court order. Giving the agency specific identifiers is far more useful than saying only that “my background check is wrong.”

Federal Criminal Cases in Maryland Use a Different System

A federal criminal case filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland is not a Maryland District Court or Circuit Court case and should not be expected to appear as an ordinary state criminal case.

Use PACER for federal court cases and the nationwide PACER Case Locator when you do not know which federal court handled the matter.

If you need your own FBI Identity History Summary, submit the request through the FBI’s official Identity History Summary process. Maryland CJIS specifically directs people seeking their own FBI criminal-history record to the FBI.

Maryland CJIS Central Repository Location

Background checks

CJIS Central Repository

6776 Reisterstown Road
Suite 217
Baltimore, MD 21215

Customer Service: 410-764-4501
Toll free: 1-888-795-0011
Customer Service hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Mail-in background checks

CJIS Mailing Address

Criminal Justice Information System – Central Repository
P.O. Box 32708
Pikesville, MD 21282-2708

Do not mail fingerprint cards from another state’s system without first checking Maryland’s current instructions. CJIS states that out-of-state applicants must use the Maryland-required fingerprint-card process.

Map is provided for orientation. Confirm the correct suite, appointment requirement, fingerprinting location and office hours on the official DPSCS/CJIS website before traveling.

Do Not Confuse Public Court Research With an Employment or Tenant Background Check

Searching a public Maryland court portal is different from obtaining an authorized consumer background report or CJIS criminal-history check.

Employment, professional licensing, housing and other eligibility decisions can involve authorization, fingerprint requirements, Maryland law and federal Fair Credit Reporting Act rules. A Case Search result alone should not automatically be treated as a compliant employment or tenant-screening report.

Use records for the purpose allowed by law. This page explains public-record access. It does not authorize the use of criminal-record information for employment, housing, credit, insurance, licensing or another regulated eligibility decision.

Practical Maryland Criminal-Record Search Tips

Tip 01

No Case Search result?

Check whether the disposition may be automatically suppressed online before assuming the case never existed.

Tip 02

Use the % wildcard

Maryland defaults to exact-name searching. Partial surname searches can use the permitted trailing percent wildcard.

Tip 03

Case Search is a summary

For a complete official public case file, go to or contact the clerk’s office.

Tip 04

Recent arrest? Think locally

The arresting police agency and local detention facility may have information before the court record is easy to locate.

Tip 05

CJIS is not a people finder

Maryland does not permit unrestricted CJIS background checks on unrelated people.

Tip 06

Check each charge

Multiple charges in the same case can have different outcomes. One conviction does not convert every dismissed count into a conviction.

Tip 07

Use the case number for copies

A clerk can usually identify a document request more efficiently when the exact case number is provided.

Tip 08

Keep expungement documents

Maryland warns that obtaining the record after expungement may not be possible.

Tip 09

Federal is separate

Search PACER rather than Maryland Case Search for federal prosecutions.

Maryland Criminal Records: Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is Maryland Judiciary Case Search free?

Yes. Maryland provides free public online access to qualifying court-case information through the Judiciary Case Search & Record Portal. The online information is a summary and is not the complete authoritative court file.

2. Can I search Maryland criminal records by name?

You can search many public court cases by name through Maryland Judiciary Case Search. The system defaults to exact-name searching, and Maryland permits a trailing percent wildcard for qualifying partial-name searches.

3. Why did a Maryland criminal case disappear from Case Search?

Cases or charges may disappear because of expungement, shielding, sealing or statutory suppression. Maryland also suppresses certain dismissed, acquitted, not-guilty, nolle prosequi, older stet and qualifying cannabis matters from public online Case Search.

4. Can I run a Maryland CJIS background check on another person?

Not simply as a general public people search. CJIS states that criminal-history information is protected and that a background check on another person requires proper authorization.

5. How do I get my own Maryland criminal-history record?

Use the CJIS Individual Review process. Maryland requires a fingerprint-supported procedure and publishes instructions for in-state and out-of-state applicants.

6. How much is a Maryland state-only CJIS background check?

Maryland currently lists a state-only background check at $18 for mail-in processing and $38 for qualifying in-person processing where the $20 CJIS fingerprint service fee is included. Private fingerprint providers may charge additional service fees.

7. Where do I search for someone in a Maryland state prison?

Use the Maryland DPSCS Incarcerated Individual Locator. It covers qualifying individuals currently under specified DPSCS custody arrangements but does not include every person who may be detained somewhere in Maryland.

8. Can I see Maryland criminal cases that ended in dismissal or acquittal?

Those charges may be suppressed from public online Case Search. Maryland Judiciary explains that some suppressed criminal records may still be viewed publicly at the courthouse unless the record has been expunged, shielded, sealed or otherwise restricted.

9. What is the difference between Maryland expungement and shielding?

Expungement removes eligible criminal-record information under Maryland’s expungement process. Shielding removes qualifying records from ordinary public view but leaves access available to certain law-enforcement agencies and other authorized parties.

10. Does Maryland Case Search include federal criminal cases?

No. Federal cases are part of the federal judiciary. Use PACER for federal court cases and the FBI’s official Identity History Summary process when requesting your own FBI history.

Official Sources for Maryland Criminal-Record Research

Government systems, fees and access rules can change. These primary sources should be checked before relying on an important record or making a legal, employment, licensing or housing decision.

Editorial notice: Criminal-Record.org is an independent informational resource and is not affiliated with the Maryland Judiciary, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, CJIS, a police department, sheriff’s office or another government agency. Court databases can omit expunged, sealed, shielded, suppressed or otherwise restricted records. Always confirm significant information with the government agency maintaining the original record. An arrest, charge or appearance in a court database should never be treated by itself as proof of guilt.

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